Home schooling success

Karl Knights

Thomas and Ellie Barnes receiving their GCSE Photograph: Simon Barnes

Ellie Barnes, seven, and her brother, Thomas, 11, who are home schooled in Leigh received their results today. Ellie who achieved a six in maths said: “I didn’t know what I was going to get so I don’t really mind.” She’s thinking of retaking it next year and maybe studying for science too. She said she felt the exams were “harder than when my brother did it.” Ellie’s brother, Thomas, was the youngest person to get an A* GCSE in 2014 at the age of seven. Their father Simon, said: “He has since completed A-level maths (A*) and is currently studying A-level further maths which he will complete next year. Today he picked up his physics GCSE result in which he got a nine.”

Ellie’s exam paper is different from Thomas’ however. The new maths GCSE involves more problem-solving. Whereas in the previous iteration of the paper, candidates were given a formula to work out a problem from, in the new iteration candidates must derive the formula, then work from there.

The new A-levels and GCSEs could prove problematic and logistically unviable for home schooling families. For example, Thomas’ science A-level previously involved only written assessments; now it requires nine assessed experiments. For these experiments to be assessed, Thomas must travel to an exam centre. I asked Simon why Ellie and Thomas were educated at such a young age. He replied: “Well, she was clearly capable of doing it so I guess the answer is why not?”

Overachiever alert!

Freddie Mitchell, a pupil at Kingsdale Foundation School in Southwark, has set a school record that will be hard to beat with 10 grade 9s, four A*s and a grade 8 in his GCSEs.

Freddie said, “Honestly, I’m speechless. It’s a sensational feeling but I was not expecting these results. I tried my hardest and it has paid off! The academic and emotional support from my parents and the school has without doubt contributed to my achievements. Thank you all for your help!”

The top achievers

Pamela Duncan

The top grade that students can receive in the newly reformed GCSEs is a 9. A small number of students - 732 to be precise - achieved this grade in seven or more exams with more girls than boys managing this feat.

Young Women's Trust: Girls’ options narrow after GCSEs

Charity the Young Women’s Trust have warned that gender stereotypes and employer discrimination are still shutting girls out of some top-earning careers.

Communications and campaigns director Joe Levenson said:

Girls are achieving fantastic grades in GCSE physics and maths but are not continuing with these subjects to A Level or through apprenticeships. This is because gender stereotypes, employer discrimination and a lack of support shut girls out.

Encouraging more girls to take science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects to a higher level would help to plug the growing skills gap in industries like construction and engineering, boosting businesses and the economy.

They have called on the government to set national targets to get more women into apprenticeships in male-dominated sectors and employers to do more reach-out work and offer part-time and flexible apprenticeships.

Warning of 'factory-farmed kids' as curriculum narrows with EBacc

A group of associations representing subjects that are not included in the EBacc performance measure have warned that the curriculum is narrowing.

They write that the number of entries from students in England taking GCSEs in subjects that are not included in the EBacc – introduced in 2010 by Michael Gove - in one year has fallen by 11.1% from 2017 to 2018, while the number of entries in EBacc subjects has risen by 4.5%.

The EBacc requires that pupils take English language and literature, maths, a modern language, a science (including computer science), and history or geography at GCSE.

Schools are measured on the number of pupils that take GCSEs in EBacc subjects which are prioritised in schools comparisons - which is leading to non EBacc subjects being excluding or marginalised, they warn.

Rudolf Eliott Lockhart Chief Executive of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales (REC) said:

While the Government’s ambitions to produce pupils with an ability in a core set of subjects are laudable, the unintended consequence of the EBacc measure is that essential knowledge and skills are being lost and we risk producing factory-farmed kids, who are compelled to take a narrow range of subjects simply to satisfy Government targets.

Recruiters such as Google are recognising that, while STEM subjects are important, wider knowledge and a broader skillset are equally important in a modern democracy and multicultural society.

It’s vital that we safeguard against a narrowing of the curriculum that will leave students educationally impoverished, employers limited in their choice of candidates, and our society culturally worse off.

Lesley Butterworth, General Secretary of the National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), said:

Participation and engagement in art, craft and design at this level of education gives a unique and meaningful experience, developing transferable skills and personal expression, building confidence and self-esteem and signposting to career paths in the creative, cultural, digital media and heritage industries.

Students protest school exclusions

A “group of South London students” have used GCSE results day to draw attention to the number of school exclusions. “Every day, 35 students (a full classroom) are permanently excluded from school. Only 1% of them will go on to get the five good GCSEs they need to succeed. We deserve better.”

14-year-old gets full set of grade 9s and A*s

A 14- year-old Vietnamese school girl who had written four novels by the time she was 13 has achieved a full set of grade 9s and A*s in her GCSEs, according to private school Francis Holland, in Sloane Square.

Amanda, whose surname is not given, arrived at the £21,000 a year school last September on a bursary.

At 13 she had written four novels, was studying undergraduate physics and, one year into piano, was taking Grade 5.

She skipped two years to go into year 11 with a specially devised curriculum which condensed all her GCSE courses into a nine month period.

On Thursday she got a “full sweep” of top grades (9s and A*s), and will begin her sixth form studies at Francis Holland, Sloane Square on a full scholarship.

Amanda says:

I was surprised but pleased with my results. Now I’m looking forward to studying maths, further maths, biology and chemistry at A level and going to university to study biochemistry. There are so many medical issues I would like to research. I am also constructing a new language.

Student voices

Josh Halliday

Josh Haliday has been speaking to students at William Hulme’s Grammar school in Manchester:

At William Hulme’s Grammar school, where two-thirds of this year’s GCSE cohort were boys, there were laddy slaps on the back and fist bumps as they opened their results. Mohammed Al-Kalbani didn’t speak a word of English when he moved to Britain last May with his family, who are originally from Palestine.

“I’m so proud,” he said as he digested results that showed he had passed both English exams, scored a double 9 in science, an 8 in maths and 7 in geography. “Everyone has helped me. At first it was really hard. I came here as the new kid, I didn’t have anyone to play with or talk to but I spent time with the mentor and she was really supportive with everything. I just kept working harder and harder.”

Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday)

William Hulme’s Grammar student Mohammed Al-Kalbani, who came to Britain from Palestine in May 2017 not speaking a word of English. He passed English and got a double 9 in Science, 8 in maths, 7 in geography. Legend. pic.twitter.com/eM9madQvpz

Kisaa Bukhari, 16, said she was really happy with her 7 in maths, 8 in religious studies, and 7s in biology, chemistry and physics. “Honestly I was really scared because I thought if they are saying the new GCSEs are harder then I expected results lower than what I’ve got,” she said.

Bukhari now plans to study chemistry, biology and statistics at A-Level and eventually go into medicine. “We get told science subjects are for everybody. Science has always been my favourite - in my class I’ve always contributed a lot compared to boys. It’s never been a big thing for us, people saying boys like sciences and girls can’t do sciences.”

Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday)

Kisaa Bukhari, an aspiring chemist who was chuffed with her 7s in the sciences: “It’s never been a big thing for us, people saying boys like sciences and girls can’t do sciences. Science has always been my favourite.” pic.twitter.com/CyjuLAXxjV

STEM subjects

Pamela Duncan

Last year saw the introduction of a new grading system for three subjects - English, English literature and maths. This year 20 more subjects were added to the reformed grading system.

It seems to have made a difference, particularly among those students taking STEM subjects. Boys in England narrowed the gender gap in biology, chemistry and computing and actually outperformed girls in maths and physics.

However, girls outdid boys in the new combined science GCSE (awarded as a double-grade) with 57.5% of girls achieving a grade of 4 or above (equivalent to grades A*-C) compared to 52.1% of boys.

Stories from students

Rachel Obordo

Students from across the country have been getting in touch with their stories.

Olivia Zemmel, 16, from Yavneh Girls, The King David High School in Manchester who achieved seven nines and a seven said: “The exams were a lot harder than I thought they would be and it was especially difficult as we did not have any past papers. To celebrate I plan to go out with my parents and brothers tonight for a celebratory meal. I would like to thank the teachers from my school for all their help.”

Olivia (who goes to Yavneh Girls, The King David High School) and her brother Yoni Zemmel. Photograph: Olivia Zemmel

At Harrow High School in west London, Suela Merkaj got eight grade nines and an A* in further maths. She said: “I’m so pleased, honestly can’t believe it. I thought I’d done well but who ever thinks they’d do this well!”

Suela Merkaj from Harrow High School. Photograph: Jon Talton

Agnieszka who is a mature student at Reading College achieved a nine in maths and a seven in English. With her grades she is planning to go to the University of Reading. She said: “I was happy there was no coursework as part of the qualification. I got 225 out of 240 points in maths and I couldn’t be happier. Doing an access course(which is basically three A-levels in one year together with GCSEs) made it so much easier for me. I think the change will make the access course more attractive to others mature students.”

Brothers Daniel and Victor Cadenas Soto achieved seven grade nines and four grade eights plus an A** in further maths between them. Their mum is very proud was was too overwhelmed to comment!